


Losing Albion

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fate, M/M, Magic Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 21:23:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were still a day's ride out from Camelot when Merlin's destiny went to Hell. The first arrow loosed caught him in the shoulder and dropped him from his horse. The volley fell and the attack started. Merlin's eyes found Arthur as the King drew his sword and shouted, "Ambush!" </p>
            </blockquote>





	Losing Albion

They were still a day's ride out from Camelot when Merlin's destiny went to Hell. The first arrow loosed caught him in the shoulder and dropped him from his horse. The volley fell and the attack started. Merlin's eyes found Arthur as the King drew his sword and shouted, "Ambush!" 

Once their attackers were in sight, the Knights proved they were the greatest warriors in all of Camelot. They defended themselves and their King greatly but lost any higher ground they might have had  quickly. Their attackers drew them into a circle and suddenly the fighting stopped. Those who had ambushed them simply stopped and looked at them. A large figure stepped out of the trees and faced Arthur. It spoke with a slow, rumbling voice.

"Arthur Pendragon. King of Camelot. Never before has any man dared trek through my woods."

Arthur drew up to his full impressive height. "Who are you? If we trespassed into your territory, it was only by accident. It does not warrant an ambush."

The tall creature laughed and stepped fully out of the shadows. The Knights and Arthur alike tightened their grips on their swords. The creature was large, at least twice the size of any mortal man. Its hide was covered in thorns and branches. Mud and blood dripped from the fang-like teeth in its human mouth. 

"I am Klematis. And whether you trespassed with any intent does not matter. No one who enters my woods without protection, leaves them alive." 

He lumber forward and stretched out a massive branch-like hand, clawing towards Arthur. Merlin pulled the arrow out of his shoulder and threw it at Klematis, with a push of force behind it so strong that it knocked the giant creature off balance. He stepped and stood between them.

"I protect him." 

"Merlin, you idiot. What are you doing?" Arthur hissed and tried to pull Merlin behind him. 

Klematis roared. "How dare you! Pesky little human. I will crush you!" 

Merlin pulled himself in front of Arthur. 

"No offense, Sire, but shut up for a moment." 

He looked up at Klematis.

"I am Emrys. You will not hurt them." 

The giant creature cocked his head and laughed.

"You? You think you are the great Emrys? I've never felt more insulted, little human."

Merlin glared and put the force of his magic behind his words, eyes glowing gold.

"I am Emrys." His voiced echoed off the trees surrounding them and Klematis and his ambush group cowered. "I am Emrys. I am sworn to protect King Arthur of Camelot. While I live, you will not touch him."

Those who ambushed them replaced their swords and backed away from the Knights. Klematis rested back on his haunches and bowed his head. 

"Master Emrys. I did not dare hope to meet you in this life. Nor did I know the King of Camelot was under your protection. Please accept my most sincere apologies. Your party may travel freely through my lands."  

Merlin nodded. 

"You weren't to know. We weren't exactly supposed to come through your land. We just got a bit turned around. Go. You will have no trouble from us." 

"Thank you, Master Emrys. Camelot lies not a day's ride to the west from here. Safe travels. Perhaps we shall meet again." 

With that the large creature lumbered off and left Merlin with a host of confused Knights and a silent King. He reigned in his magic and dropped to his knees, inhaling sharply. Arthur walked around until he stood in front of his servant, sword at Merlin's head. 

"What was that, Merlin? Do you have anything to say? How could you be so stupid?"

Merlin shook his head. He couldn't bare the anger in the King's voice. 

"You're a sorcerer. And you dared serve in my Kingdom? For five years, you've been my servant. For five years, you've lied to me daily."

Arthur's voice caught and Merlin looked up at him silently. He met Arthur's eyes briefly before staring back at the ground. 

"Restrain him for practicing sorcery in Camelot and treason." 

Arthur didn't look at him again, climbing astride his horse and heading West towards Camelot.   
Two of the Knights who had befriended Merlin hauled him to his feet. Both looked at him with slight fear marring their features. He sighed and held out his hands.

"I won't harm you. Go ahead. It doesn't matter anyway." 

The last part was muttered to himself. The Knights looked at each other before fastening the irons around his wrists. The Knights folded around him; all of them with hands on the hilts of their swords and they walked. They followed the path the King had taken through the trees and saw him riding ahead. Merlin didn't say anything, didn't think anything, the entire way back to Camelot. 

The sun had long since set when they arrived back to the Citadel. The Knights led him down to the cells and took off the irons before locking him in the cuffs on the wall. When they left, Merlin found out he had about three feet of movement in the chains. He situated himself on the bare floor and rested on his knees with his hands folded on his thighs. He bowed his head and rested his chin on his chest. 

For three days, the guards brought food once a day but Merlin never touched it. He never moved. Merlin knelt in the middle of the cell completely absorbed in himself. To him, it didn't matter if Arthur had him beheaded. He had saved Arthur's life. That was all that mattered. Right? How much Arthur hated him didn't matter because Merlin loved him and Arthur was still alive. 

At dawn on the fourth day, the doors opened once again. There was the click of hard heels on the stone and dark, well polished boots that Merlin knew well stood in front of him. He heard Arthur sigh before sitting on the floor in front of Merlin. 

"I'm not angry with you, Merlin."

Merlin laughed humorlessly but didn't look up. 

"Yes, you are. Of course you are. Why would you not be? I just didn't expect it to hurt so much."

"Merlin. Yes, I'm angry, alright? But I understand why you couldn't tell me." Arthur sighed and looked at Merlin, who had yet to even glance at him. Merlin, who had, for some unknown reason, claimed his heart. "I've been in conference for the past three days with . . . someone I believed to be dead, at least in part. He told me an intricate tale of two young boys who are destined for each other and a kingdom called Albion. It's an interesting tale the Great Dragon tells."

Merlin's head snapped up at that and he stared at Arthur. 

"Kilgharrah." Arthur nodded. 

"He's quite an infuriating creature, vague and concise all at the same time. But he got his point across. He told me what you've done for me over the years. He also believes that you should have told me before it became the only thing to do." 

He sighed and looked at his hands before pinning Merlin with an intense gaze.

"I'm not my father, Merlin. Not for a long time have I believed magic to be as evil as he feared. I am not afraid of magic. And I am not afraid of you. I only want to understand. I want to be a better King for the people of Camelot than my father was."

Merlin interrupted him then.

"You already are. You have been for a long time. A better person and a far greater King. I did my job, my destiny, Arthur and I regret none of it. I kept you alive to become King and by putting up with me, you became a better person. What you do with me now, Sire, is up to you. My life is yours to do with as you will. It always has been."

"Do you expect me to have you killed, Merlin? To have you stand among the flames and burn? I can, if I wish."

Merlin flinched and tried to look back down. Arthur grabbed his chin gently.

"I swear this to you: I will not do that. Not now and not fifty years down the road when you accidentally destroy half the castle. Kilgharrah showed me Albion, Merlin. I cannot rule without you. Two halves of the same coin, we complete each other. You said yourself you made me a better person. The only way I can rule is with you by my side. My friend. My sorcerer. My advisor. My heart. If you will have me."

"You are the Once and Future King, Arthur, and it is my destiny to serve you. I would follow you into the dark if you asked it of me. But if you are to use me and my abilities to rule and reign, I can't do it. I don't believe for a second that you would knowingly. But once you realize what I can do you, you will ask. And if I don't say no now, I won't be able to then. I would rather die."

Arthur stared at him. 

"Are you saying . . ."

"Am I saying no?" Merlin sighed and his eyes welled with tears. "I have to, Arthur. I can't. I'm sorry."


End file.
